The Hope Within
by bostongrl1661
Summary: Everyone knows the story of Arwen, but what of an unknown sister whose stubborness and temper is enough to rival the toughest of males? This is her story, the untold story of Raina. Legolas/OC, minor Boromir/OC
1. Chapter One

**Alright, so, I've been watching the Lord of the Rings movies over and over again, and I finally decided to try my hand at writing a story. I've never read the books, I'll tell you that right now, but I absolutely adore the movies, and find them all absolutely fascinating. So, yeah, here we go. Just so you all know, I do not own any of the characters from LOTR, nor the plot, nor any of the creatures. I only own things that do not appear or happen in the books/movies. Oh, and, I always like to put up the song that best fits with the chapter that I've just written, so, here's the one I chose:**

**Shattered – Trading Yesterday (Great song, definitely one of my favorites)**

**Bolded – Elvish**

_Italics - Thoughts_

Whispers.

That is all Raina heard when she approached Rivendell.

Of course, they had every right to. Despite the fact that she had pulled up the hood of her silvery-blue cloak, the elves who stood watch could easily see the features, the ones that they needed to see to figure out who she was. The horse that was carrying her, Sadron, was sniffing loudly, his dark eyes watching for any elves that dared to approach the pair. Most elves, you see, rode white horses, but Raina, being the rebellious elleth she was, had always had a soft heart for black, dangerous horses who were either used by men or the evils who walked this Earth.

Raina entered the gates of Rivendell, not bothering to look around at the beautiful Elvish city, nor did she glance at the marvelous waterfalls which let off a soothing, gentle sound that could easily lull anyone to sleep. She jumped down from her horse, knowing that he would leave as soon as she looked into his frighteningly black eyes, as he would only appear when she needed him most.

Leaving Sadron behind her, Raina moved up the staircase, heading the room that she had always hidden in when she was a child. The room that she knew like the back of her hand, understanding each and every knook and cranny, every little hole that had been formed by some sort of damage. She pushed open the door and, inside, along with a large amount of books, sat an elloth whose whose back faced hers. His long, dark hair had two braids, one running down each of his shoulders, while the rest of his thick hair ran down his back.

"**Father," **said Raina quietly, her eyes never leaving the back of his head. She knew that she probably didn't even have to speak; her father knew all the very well that she was there, and who she was exactly. He hesitated, before turning to face her fully. His dark, cold eyes never left her beautiful face.

"**You should not have come, Raina," **said Lord Elrond, standing to his full height and speaking in a strict voice. It was one that Raina had not truly heard in many, many years, and she visibly flinched at the harshness of his tone. **"You were not invited to the Council; that is why you are here, is it not?"**

Raina shook her head at her father, a frown forming on her lips. This was not exactly the homecoming she had been expecting. **"I do not come here asking for your forgiveness, nor any other personal reasons." **She faltered, knowing that her father's eyes had yet to leave her half-covered face. **"I have come here to help you. You know all too well that the journey that the Fellowship takes will be full of obstacles that they will not be able to withstand; at least, not well enough to have each and every one of them survive. Let me join them, Father." **She took that moment to pull her hood back, to show her entire face, and for him to see the truth and honesty in her silvery-grey eyes. Her hair, black as coal, tumbled down her back, all the way to the small of her back. "Please," she added, switching to common tongue, her eyes begging him to listen and understand her.

Lord Elrond said nothing, but simply took a few long strides towards her, until he was standing directly in front of her. Placing a warm hand on her cold cheek, his face softened, and she could tell that he was at least listening to her. "You lie," he said softly, practically whispering. "You do not only want to help me—there is another reason, one you are hiding."

"It does not matter what that reason is, Father," said Raina, quickly cutting him off. "Please, let me take this one last journey. I did not travel all this way to hear you tell me no one last time." He chuckled softly, and she smiled weakly up at him. She wrapped her arms around him, needing to be hugged one last time by him. Raina knew that she would not be seeing him for a very, very long time, and she needed to feel his fatherly love just one more time. **"Thank you," **she mumbled, before letting go of him.

Lord Elrond gave a reluctant nod, before sighing softly. **"Go to your old room, and rest; I am sure you have suffered through a long journey, and need to regather your strength. I will have someone draw you a bath in the morn." **

Raina nodded to him, and swept out of the room. The halls did not seem to have change, even though she had not walked through them for hundreds of years. She placed her fingers and felt the cool marble soothe her trembling fingers. She could still hear the soft laughter that her brothers and herself shared, as they enjoyed their fantasy adventures, of fighting off Orcs and saving their kingdom. As the memories rushed to her mind, she frowned—she had not seen Elladan and Elrohir, not since she had left Rivendell for good. Shaking her head, she continued to walk down to the room that she had once occupied, the room that she would occupy for one more night. Coming to the wooden door, she gently pushed it open.

She did not bother looking around, as she knew that everything she remembered was still there, in the same exact place. She removed her cloak, and dressed in a nightgown that had mysteriously appeared on the chair near her bed. Raina fell back onto the bed, relishing in the softness of the sheets that now surrounded her. Before she could even think of the council she was about to partake in, or the journey that was about to begin, she fell into a dreamless sleep, one that she had not been in for many long years.

* * *

Humming.

That's what Raina awoke to, as well as the sunlight streaming through the windows that seemed to take up every single wall of her room. She had always loved being surrounded by the warm rays of the sun, and that had not changed since she had left. After taking a few moments to allow her pale skin to soak in the sun, Raina stood and faced the elleth that was busy preparing a bath. Before Raina could speak, however, the elleth turned and gave her a warm smile. **"Good morning, milady," **said the elleth, looking completely unphased by the look of temporary shock on Raina's face. Her childhood friend, one that she had told her darkest secrets to, stood in front of her, and she could only stare at her knowingly with that smile upon her face. **"Did you sleep well?" **

"**Very well, Adanessa," **said Raina quietly, eyeing the elleth carefully. She still had her soft, auburn hair that fell in delicate curls around her fragile-looking face. Raina had always giggled about how Adanessa could easily ensnare any man's heart with a simple smile on her face, and she could tell that had not changed. **"I see you have not changed since we last met. You still are as beautiful as ever; even though, of course, we both always knew I was the fairest of them all." **

The elleth faltered, and she slowly turned away from her chores and looked straight at Raina with an emotionless face. The two elleths stared at each other for several seconds, before both of their faces broke in smiles and laughter. They rushed to each other and embraced, both holding on to the other like they were their long-lost sister. Raina closed her eyes, and pulled away from Adanessa, smiling kindly down at her. **"I have missed your company more than anyone else's," **said Raina. She spoke no lies—she had never been very close to her sister, and Raina had needed her friend more than anyone else in the world, just to tell her how much she had missed everything. **"Tell me, what has changed since I left? How has my sister been? Who has arrived for the Council? Who—" **

"**Shh, my friend," **said Adanessa, taking a seat on the chair beside Raina's bed. Her wise smile and the obvious age in her eyes showed how much she had matured since Raina had last seen her, and it made her smile sadly. It had been far too long since she had seen Adanessa. **"Much has changed since you left, as I'm sure you can understand. I'm sure you've heard of the Hobbits that arrived here, as well as Aragorn. You will see one of the Hobbits and Aragorn at the Council. As for your sister, she took your departure harder than anyone else, but, overtime, she has begun to mend herself. She will be happy to see you, I'm sure—you are, of course, her youngest sibling."**

Raina sighed softly, sitting as well on her bed, and smile sadly at her best friend. It had been far too long since she had looked into her warm hazel eyes, and she wished that she could stay in Rivendell longer. Shaking her head from her thoughts, she asked, **"And the Council? Who is attending it?"**

Adanessa paused for a second, and replied, **"Representatives from each race, really. Though, I'm sure you'll be most intrigued to know that Prince Legolas of Mirkwood is here. He's here to speak to your father, but he is attending the Council as well." **She chuckled at the livid expression on Raina's face, and shook her head. **"Despite the years that I spent without you, I see that you have not changed—your temper is easily enflared when the topic of elloths occurs." **

She laughed in return, and stared off at the window nearest to her. Raina had met Prince Legolas many years before, when they were both much younger; her father had taken her to Mirkwood with her, and she had thought the Prince was very polite and kind, but he was, in her eyes, quite boring. There was nothing exciting about him; of course, as being much more fiery and naïve than most her age, Raina had found just about everyone to be quite bores. Adanessa cleared her throat, and Raina looked up into her eyes, flushing when she realized she had been daydreaming once again.

"**I must take my leave—I have many chores to do, including readying a bath for one of the men. I will see you soon, my friend," **she said, and she left the room quickly. Raina gazed at the window for several moments, before slowly standing and entering the washroom. She bathed quickly, breathing the sultry scents of lavender. Most servants would have stayed and helped Raina dress, but Adanessa knew Raina very well, and understood that she always wanted to do everything on her own. That was how Raina had done just about everything in her life, and she wasn't going to change anytime soon.

Raina prepared her dark, thick hair into a lavish, impressive style and dressed in a blood-red dress with bell sleeves; the material was softer and smoother than any other fabric that she had ever felt before, and she closed her eyes, reminding herself that she better not get used to the beautiful, extravagent dresses that she could be wearing. She had a task to do, and she would be damned before she screwed it all up for something as materialistic as clothing. Shaking her head, Raina quickly stepped out of her room and made her way to the deck where she knew all too well that the Council was being held.

It was going to be a very, very long day.

**So, yeah, that's the first chapter. It's not as perfect as I would like to to be, but I guess it will do. Raina's a bit of a handfull, as you can probably tell, and I hope you all like the fact that I added in a little bit of the history between her and Legolas. Please, review and tell me what you think! **


	2. Chapter Two

**Here we go with the second chapter. I know that the first chapter was a bit slow, but I can assure that the story will speed up as it goes on. And, anything or anyone that does not appear in the books by Tolkein belongs to me—everything else belongs to him. **

**Song To Listen To: Love Song Requiem – Trading Yesterday**

**Bolded – Elvish**

_Italics – Thoughts_

Raina silently walked down the hallway, her sharp eyes watching for any sort of movement. She was awaiting someone to approach her, as it seemed that, even as a child, she would never be allowed to be on her own. It was as if everyone feared what would happen if Raina would be left to contemplate her own thoughts, her own power; they expected a complete disaster to happen if she was ever alone.

_They were right, _thought Raina wryly, frowning as the stray thought slithered through her mind. Before she could contemplate on what had just occurred in her own mind—yes, it was rather pathetic that she could not even control her own thoughts—Raina found a tall elloth leaving his room. It was one of the guests rooms, and he was dressed in a long, silvery cloak, one that was only worn by the Woodland Elves. She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to figure why there was a familiar presence about him. And that was when he turned around, facing Raina fully.

His eyes. That is what she was drawn into; she breathed in sharply at the vividness of the silvery-blue tone in his eyes. They were full of powerful emotions, and a true compassion for life that only the purest of hearts could hold. Long, dark eyelashes framed his eyes, making them seem even deeper, and she reluctantly left the beauty of his eyes to scan his face, to remember just who he was. His long, golden hair had a simple braid, pulling some of it away from his face. As her eyes remembered the strong slope of his nose, and the haughtiness of his cheekbone, she realized just who he was.

Prince Legolas of Mirkwood.

_No, _thought Raina, not believing what she was seeing. When she had last seen Legolas, he was so much younger, and had a true youthfulness in his face. However, the elf that was now standing in front of her had a maturity and grace about him that only an aged elloth could hold.

She quickly realized that she had been staring at him for several moments, and flushed in embarrassment. The Prince, however, was not hiding the surprise on his face of seeing her—most elves that knew even a rumor of her story would not expect her to be walking so blatantly in the halls of Rivendell. Raina was sure that he did not know everything about her story—yes, she could see it clearly in his eyes. He only knew the rumors that had spread over the years.

Clearing her throat, and bringing Legolas' strong, powerful eyes to hers, she said quietly, **"Prince Legolas." **Most elleths would have bowed their head to him, in respect, but her eyes never left his. She had never been one for formalities of bowing and curtsying—it had been something that her father had been driven mad about. **"I'm afraid it's been too long—I almost did not recognize you, for you have grown so much since we last met." **

That was an understatement. He was now a couple inches taller than her, and there was no more the sweet, innocent elloth that she had seen all those years ago. He was grown-up—something that Raina, for some odd reason, wasn't comfortable realizing. Legolas smiled down at her, and replied, **"You have changed as well, Lady Raina." **He hesitated, before adding, **"I'm surprised to see you here—during my travels, I have heard rumors of your disappearance—"**

"**My exile has been cut short," **said Raina shortly, cutting him off, **"for I found it a need to attend the Council. I am fortunate enough that my father accepted my request."** Her eyes begged him not to bring up her past again. Fortunately, he seemed to receive her message.

"**I am pleased to hear that, milady," **replied Legolas, seeming completely unfazed by the pleading look on her face. It was if she had never cut him off, and he had forgotten what he had been about to ask her. For that, she silently thanked him—there were some subjects that she still could not discuss. At the puzzled look that appeared on her face, he continued, **"Whenever we have met, I have always enjoyed your company. Your wit and sharp tongue have always made our meetings quite unforgettable."**

Raina couldn't help but chuckle at his words, and she found herself truly smiling up at him, which felt quite odd. She only allowed herself to show her emotions to those she cared for the most, such as Adanessa. Or, really, only Adanessa—there was noone else that she felt comfortable enough. Well, until now, of course. **"I am happy to know that at least someone enjoys it," **she said, unable to stop a gentle smile from appearing on her face. **"Would you like to walk with me to the Council? If I have a companion, it might be easier to walk through Rivendell once more." **Legolas nodded, and extended his arm towards her. She looped her arm through his, and they walked together in companionable silence. When they arrived at the balcony where the Council was to be held, Raina was surprised by the warmth that spread to her cheeks when Legolas kissed her hand and went with the rest of his countrymen. She could easily feel the eyes of her father on her, and not even she could figure out what he was thinking.

Shaking her head, she took a seat beside one of the men, who was sitting by himself. When she took a second glance at him, Raina found her jaw dropping at the sight of him. Closing her mouth quickly—that was quite unladylike, she could already hear her father and sister telling her—Raina cleared her throat; however, before she could even say anything, Aragorn cut her off. "I am surprised to see you here as you are with me," he said quietly, not even taking a glance at her.

Raina simply laughed softly, and shook her head. "You always could read me like a book, Aragorn—I guess that is why I always avoided you like a plague. Or maybe it was because you always incessantly annoyed me."

The two stared at each other for a moment, waiting for the other to break, before Aragorn allowed a small, whisper of a smile to appear on his face. Raina grinned immediately; despite her distance with her sister, she had always gotten along with Aragorn very well, so much that he had was like a brother to her now. However, as soon as she felt a presence near her, she turned her head. Her face went blank and emotionless as soon as she saw a Hobbit and Gandalf the Grey approaching the balcony. She saw the scene in front of her immediately, the young Hobbit yelling out that he would take the task that no being should have to suffer through, especially someone as young as him. Her eyes became focused once more, and realized that the Hobbit was staring back at her nervously. She shook her head and quickly turned away; everyone had now arrived, and was waiting patiently for Lord Elrond to begin.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old," began Lord Elrond, his sharp eyes sweeping to everyone's face, "you've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom." He paused, and turned his eyes to the Hobbit that Raina had been staring at before. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo," he said, sweeping his arm towards the stone pedestal in the center of the balcony.

Frodo stood and slowly walked towards the pedestal; he seemed to hesitate before he placed the ring out of his reach, and, as he sat back down, it was as if a great weight had been released from his shoulders. Raina turned her eyes back to the Ring, and immediately flinched. She forced her eyes away from it, closing them and breathing in a sharp gasp. She could hear its dark thoughts in her mind, but she quickly cleared them all away, knowing that she had to be strong. She glanced at Aragorn, he was staring at her in concern, but she quickly shook her head, dispelling his silent question. She was fine.

Her attention was dragged to a man sitting several seats away from her, who stood. His chestnut hair clung to his face, and she could see that his aura had already taken a dark turn; the Ring was already begging for him to grab it, to use it for his city. "In a dream, I saw the Eastern sky grow dark, but in the West a pale light lingered. A voice was crying, 'Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's bane is found.'" He moved toward the Ring with each of his words, his hand slowly reaching out the Ring. Raina glanced at her father, who was staring at the old man with the grey cloak. "Isildur's bane," mumbled the man, his voice slowly trailing away.

Just as his fingers were inches away from the Ring, her father quickly stood, bellowing out, "Boromir!" Gandalf quickly begin to speak in a tongue that made Raina's head pound, and she placed her fingertips on her forehead, trying to relax her mind. A large darkness had taken over all of Rivendell in that split second; suddenly, it all stopped, and she was able to open her eyes once more and stare at her father, who had taken the same position as herself. The man had sat down once again, looking quite shocked by the words that Gandalf had spoken. "Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imaldris," said Lord Elrond, voicing his obvious distaste in Gandalf's actions.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond," replied Gandalf shortly, his voice aggravated as well, "for the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether evil." He went to go sit back in his seat, and Raina quickly agreed with him. She could easily see the darkness surrounding the Ring, and she wanted it to stay as far away from her as possible. Just glancing at it forced dark, dangerous thoughts in her mind, ones that she had never dreamed of visiting before.

"It is a gift," said the man named Boromir, standing once more. Raina turned her eyes on him, already seeing the Ring's influence quickly taking over his mind. "A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe." He paused, letting his speech sink in to all those surrounding him. Raina's frown only deepened, and she felt Aragorn shift next to her, making her realize that he was just as happy about it as she was. "Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him."

"You cannot wield it," said Aragorn, obviously having enough. "None of us can." Boromir slowly turned toward Boromir, obviously upset that he had interrupted him. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" asked Boromir with sarcasm in his voice, and Raina's temper—already short-fused—began to boil, her eyes flashing dangerously at the man. However, before she could say anything to him, Legolas stood, fire burning in his silvery-blue eyes.

"This is no mere Ranger," he said to Boromir coolly, his voice filled with so much passion that even Raina was surprised. So much for the elloth that she find to be boring and too perfect. He had a cold fire to him that Raina had never seen in anyone before. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

Boromir turned his head back to Aragorn, the shock on his face hastily turning to distaste. "Aragorn," he said, practically spitting on his name. "This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," said Legolas, his eyes never leaving Boromir's.

Raina glanced at Aragorn, waiting for his reaction to all of this. She was not surprised—his face was difficult to read, although she could sense a slight discomfort in him. **"Sit down, Legolas," **said Aragorn, his eyes obviously pleading with the Elven Prince to listen to him. Legolas continued to glare at Boromir, but he slowly retook his seat.

Boromir returned his glare, and simply said, "Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king." He took his seat, but not without continuing to stare at Aragorn with dislike in his eyes. Raina narrowed her eyes at him, feeling her impatience growing with him. What could she expect—another stubborn man who would never admit that they were wrong.

"Aragorn is right," said Gandalf, cutting through the uncomfortable silence. "We cannot use it."

Lord Elrond got to his feet once more, and said to them all, "You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."

There was a split-second of silence as everyone grasped and understood this information, until a dwarf with a gruff voice and a face full of red hair said, "What are we waiting for?" He swiftly got to his feet, and raced towards the pedestal. He brought his axe down on the Ring, only to have the blade shatter upon impact. He was flung backward, and he laid on his back, staring at the Ring with utter shock written on his face.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft we here possess," began Lord Elrond, looking right into Raina's eyes, as she was the only one that knew what his next words were going to be. "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this." There was another moment of silence, in which Raina stared only at the face of the Hobbit. He was holding his forehead in his hand, while his eyes rested only on the Ring.

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," said Boromir, and Raina closed her eyes, shaking her head in frustration at the man. He wanted the Ring for his country, but he did not see the truth behind the Ring—that it was evil and only Sauron could handle it. "Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The Great Eye is ever-watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire, and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with 10,000 men could you do this. It is folly."

Legolas gracefully with much speed got to his feet, his voice filled with fire as he snapped, "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!" Raina agreed with him completely—the man was doing everything in his power to get the Ring to Gondor, she could see that easily now.

"And I suppose you think you are the one to do it?" asked Gimli, his distaste for the elves shining his mind clearly.

"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir snarled, his voice taking an angry edge as well.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" yelled Gimli, causing almost all of the Elves—with the exception of Lord Elrond and Raina herself to stand and argue with the dwarves. Raina shook her head, mumbling under her breath about the pathetic snarling that they were all doing now. She turned her eyes to the Frodo the Hobbit, whose eyes were still glued on the Ring, and was breathing heavily.

Suddenly, he stood and yelled to the arguing group, "I will take it!" Raina closed her eyes, seeing the course of the journey—Frodo would undergo dangerous situations, and would lose his life in the process. With the way that the situation was holding, she could see it all so clearly now. The result of the quest—the destruction of the Ring? That was not so easy to see—her vision was riddled with darkness and despair. She was blind do that part of the future. "I will take it!" The arguments slowly died down, and they all turned to Frodo. "I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though," he added, his voice becoming much softer—"I do not know the way."

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins," said Gandalf, his wise eyes staring down at Frodo with sadness. Yes, Raina could see his love for the Hobbit, as if he was his own son. "As long as it is yours to bear."

Aragorn stood as well, respect shining in his blue eyes as he said, "If by my life or dead I can protect you, I will." Raina's eyes never left his form as he walked towards Frodo and kneeled in front of him. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," said Legolas, stepping forward as well. Raina fought back a strange feeling bubbling inside her at these words, and reluctantly turned her eyes away from his.

"And my axe," added Gimli, causing Legolas to have a look of exasperation on his face.

Raina slowly got to her feet, and took several steps towards Frodo, her eyes never leaving his as she spoke in a quiet tone, "You have my sword as well, Frodo Baggins, as well as any power and will that I have within me." Her eyes bore into his, searching through the future for any sort of sign of what will happen to the Ring. She found nothing. Tearing her eyes away from his, she stood besides Aragorn and turned her eyes to her father's, who she could tell was not happy, even though he knew she would take part in the quest.

"You carry the fates of us all, little one," said Boromir, stepping forward as well. "If this is indeed the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

Suddenly, a laughing noise came from the bushes, startling Raina and making her head towards the source of the noise. A hobbit with dark blonde hair came rushing forward, standing next to Frodo with his arms crossed. "Frodo's not going anywhere without me." Raina was surprised—she had never seen any other Hobbits in her visions.

"It is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summonded to a secret Council and you are not," said Lord Elrond with a small smile on his face. A nervous smile came to the Hobbit's face.

Without any warning, two more Hobbits came rushing out, both with dark blonde hair and looking like they could be brothers. "We're coming too!" exclaimed the taller one, running to Frodo's side. "You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."

"Anyway," said the shorter Hobbit, "you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission. Quest. Thing." At the sight of the surprised look on Gandalf's face, Raina couldn't help but chuckle softly at the two hobbits.

"Well, that rules you out, Pip," the other Hobbit whispered in his friend's ear.

Raina's eyes turned back to her father, who looked around at them all standing with each other. "Ten companions," said Lord Elrond. "So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Great!" exclaimed one of the Hobbits. "Where are we going?"

Raina couldn't help it—she laughed again. That was all she really could do.

**As I'm sure you all can tell, Raina has some power; I'll definitely get more into it in the next chapter. She definitely has some dark secrets in her past, but I'll wait awhile until I get into those. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and, please, review!**


	3. Chapter Three

**I'll start off on the next chapter, since I've just got too much muse for this story. Hope you enjoy this one! And, as always, I own nothing that was not found in the Lord of the Rings books or the movies. **

**Song to Listen to: Someday by Rob Thomas**

**Bolded – Elvish**

_Italics – Thoughts_

"**Hello, sister." **

Those were two words that Raina had been dreading hearing for the past eight hundred years. In all of her time of exile, she had been preparing for this very moment, running over each and every possibility that she could run through. She readyied for the conversations that could transpire between herself and her sister. And, despite everything that she had gotten ready for for so long, Raina felt like all of the air had escaped from her lungs as soon as she heard the soft, angelic voice of her older sister.

It was the day after the Council; she had just been leaving for breakfast—late, on purporse, as she had been delaying seeing the dining hall for the first time in such a long period of time. Raina had to many hard memories running through her mind, simply by walking through the hall; the dining hall was difficult for her to even think of. Hence why she had left far later, so she could at least go through breakfast without dozens of eyes being on her. However, running into her only sister was not exactly in her plans.

Turning slowly, Raina found the eyes of Arwen Undomiel, her sapphire blue eyes meeting Raina's steel-grey eyes easily. She could easily see the resemblance between the two, but that didn't make her grow any fonder of Arwen. Raina and Arwen had always had much baggage between them, even though Arwen had constantly shown her desire to befriend Raina and stop the drama between them. Raina, however, could not bring herself to do it—she could not stand to be around her older sister; she was just too perfect, making her feel as though she was but a spot of dust on her dress. It was not exactly a feeling that she wanted to deal with.

"**Hello," **said Raina quietly, tucking a stray piece of dark hair behind her ear; all of her hair matched Arwen's easily. **"Well, Arwen, I must be going, so if you would excuse me—"**

"Is that all you can say to me, Raina?" asked Arwen, her vivid eyes pleading with Raina to listen to her, to stay with her. **"After all of these years, after you abandoned me to live in exile, all you can do is try to leave once more? Is that why you wish to partake in this quest, so you can leave all those who love you behind, and you can run away once more?!"**

Raina stared at her blankly, her mouth turned into a cold, straight line. She was sure that, for all of the years that Arwen had walked on Middle-Earth, she would have inherited some sort of common sense. She took a few steps towards her sister until they were eye-to-eye, and hissed dangerously, "Do not act as though you affect the decisions I make; I understand this may come as a surprise to you, but my entire life does not surround you." She expected it to be left at that, and began to turn to take her leave.

"**Raina, how would Feredir feel if he saw you doing this to yourself? He would not want you blaming yourself—"**

"How. Dare. You," whispered Raina, her entire body and voice trembling with held-in anger. Her eyes—which were normally a dark, steel shade of grey—were turning a dark shade of red, one that would have normally caused anyone to run away in fear. However, Arwen had seen this from her sister before, and she was not going to show her fear of her younger sister. "Do not act like you know anything about what happened." With that, she turned on her heel sharply and stormed back to her room. Fortunately for her, her sister did not follow. Apparently she had gotten the clear message.

Raina could not see past the red-hot, fierce anger that was gripping her insides; she threw open her door, practically tearing off her cream-colored dress and throwing on a pair of leggings and a tunic. She didn't even bother putting on her boots—she simply left running with nothing but her barefeet. She didn't notice when she accidentally ran into someone, nor did she realize that she had rushed past Adanessa, who was talking quietly with Boromir. She just needed out of there, to be away from the memories that were haunting her every waking step.

She came to a stop in front of the target practice—the fields were practically sparkling with the morning dew still clinging to the slicing blades of grass. It was empty, besides Raina, and she was relieved for that—she could not handle the curious glances that would be shot her way. She placed down her bundel a good distance away from one of the targets, and began to shoot. Raina moved at an almost inhuman pace, shooting each arrow with speed and agility that could match any elloth's skill with an arrow. As she continued to work, tears slowly streamed down her face. As she reached down—knowing that she had finally run out of arrows—she found someone placing the wooden body of one into her hand. She turned her head, and found herself looking up into the silvery-blue eyes of Legolas of Mirkwood.

It was then that Raina remembered bumping into him, and how she had acted extremely unladylike and unpolite. She could already hear her father's hiss in her ear, telling her that she must show him the utmost respect; she simply shook her head mentally, and stared at her bare toes. She did not need any worrying about her outward appearance—especially to some prince—when she had much bigger, more important things to worrying about.

"**Thank you,"** said Raina, taking the arrow and placing it in her bow. She was hoping that Legolas would leave her after that, so she could be lost in her own thoughts once more. However, her desire did not seem to get through to him—he stayed and watched her aim her bow, and her release the arrow—it landed perfectly in the center of the target, and a curt, satisfied smile appeared on her lips. Turning back to Legolas, she bowed her head and softly, **"The field is all yours, my lord." **She turned quickly, but was stopped when a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, turning her back around.

Raina stood very close to him, feeling the heat from his body radiating towards hers. She found herself becoming lost in his eyes once more, so much that she almost did not hear his voice, as quiet and gentle as the soft, lulling waves of the ocean on a cool, calm morning. **"What happened? Why are you so distraught?" **he asked her, reaching his hand up and tucking a stray piece of her dark, unruly hair behind her ear. She flushed, and quickly stepped away from him, breaking the spell that had come close to causing her to lose control of her own body.

"**I spoke with a relative that I am not very fond of—the conversation was one that I would not like to relive," **said Raina quickly, and her eyes widened slightly; she could not believe that she had just spilled out what had happened—it wasn't specific, of course, but, still. Had it been any other person, she would have told them to mind their own business, and stay out of hers. However, Legolas seemed to make her want to open up to him—it frightened her to her very core. **"Do not worry about me, my lord—"**

"**Please, do not address me as that, milady. We will be traveling with each other for a long period of time, so I'd say we must know each other by our informal names," **said Legolas, and Raina looked up at him in surprise. She had never expected that—when she was younger and had seen the various Elfish princes that helped rule their kingdoms, they always asked her to address them formally. It was another reason why she had avoided any sort of marriage arrangements when it was brought up by her father—most of the princes were too full of themselves to interest her.

"**Alright then, Legolas," **said Raina, smiling as soon as his name left her lips. It sounded smooth and calming, and it caused a soft radiation of warmth to spread throughout her body, one that she had never felt before. She could already feel her sour mood beginning to brighten, and she found that she didn't want to leave him. Not now, when he was probably the only person who could keep her happy. **"I have heard quite a bit about your skill with a bow—do you wish to demonstrate for me?" **The cheeky grin that had spread on her face made Legolas chuckle softly, and he turned to the target; Raina was actually excited—she had heard rumors of the Prince of Mirkwood, the ever-bachelor who worked more masterfully with a bow than any other person in Middle-Earth.

They stayed out there for the rest of the day, not even bothering to stop to each any lunch. They were elves, afterall, who could go great distances without eating a scrap of food. Raina found herself fascinated with the raw skill that Legolas possessed, and she continued to ask him questions about the art. Most elloths would have gotten impatient with her, as many elleths were known to be quiet and soft-spoken, but Legolas was surprisingly calm and relaxed, and answered each of her questions with a patience that Raina could only dream of having. As they talked and bonded more and more, she found that he was nothing what she expected. Legolas was most definitely not what she expected for an Elven Prince.

It was now the nearing darkness, and they were forced to leave the fields and return to the dining hall for dinner. Raina talked to Legolas easily, not even realizing that she had passed by her sister and Aragorn, who were talking quietly together. It was only when she entered the dining hall and saw the look on her father's face at the sight of her—which was not all that pleasant of a look—that she stopped talking. Almost everyone was there, and Aragorn and Arwen were not that far behind Legolas and Raina. Her eyes never leaving her father's, daring him to say something while they were in front of all of his guests, she sat across from him. The other guests did not seem to notice the tension and everyone--besides Aragorn, Arwen, Legolas, Lord Elrond, and Raina—talked and ate cheerily. This would be the last meal that the Fellowship would be having in Rivendell, and an impressive feast had been prepared for their departure. Raina simply ate some fruit and took a long sip of wine, and that was enough for her. She quietly excused herself from the table, and left for bed, expecting to be left alone. Of course, her plans were cut short by a familiar elloth.

Raina turned as soon as she reached her door to see the silvery, magnificent eyes of the Prince of Mirkwood, and found her knees going weak as he approached her silently. As soon as he was perfectly close to her, he simply took her hand in his and kissed the knuckles, just as he had done at the Council. And, just as before, Raina's cheeks flushed lightly at the touch of his skin on hers. **"Good night, Raina," **said Legolas quietly, his light eyes never leaving hers, and she smiled lamely up at him. She was speechless, for once—no one had ever made her so….airy and dumbfounded before. Not until him. Unable to say anything, Raina quickly rushed into her room, shutting her door behind her.

She slid down the length of the door, until she was sitting on her backside with her knees pulled up to her chin.

Legolas was definitely unlike any other elloth she had met before. That was for sure, she thought to herself, a growing smile appearing on her face.

**And that's the chapter. Don't forget to review!**


	4. Chapter Four

**So, I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. My muse is slowly building as I finish each chapter, so I'm hoping to get through the first movie soon. That's my goal, to finish that part of the story before the holidays. I guess the first step to doing that is getting this next chapter up, eh? **

**Song to Listen to: So Cold by Breaking Benjamin**

**Bolded – Elvish**

_Italics – Thoughts_

Raina awoke to soft, angry whispers, mumblings that were most likely not to be heard by her ears. She laid in bed silently, not even breathing as she listened to who was in her bedroom. However, as she caught the luscious scent of vanilla, she relaxed—it was only Adanessa. She let out a sigh of relief, and slowly sat up in her bed. Adanessa was struggling with the water that was to be put into the bathtub. It seemed, however, that she was more frustrated with something else—there was a change in her heart, Raina found with a surprise, as she watched her. Someone had claimed the young elleth's heart—only Raina had no idea who.

"Do you need any help?" asked Raina, her voice still filled with sleep. Adanessa jumped, nearly slopping some of the water out of the bucket in her surprise. With a groan of annoyance, the servant poured the water quickly into the tub, and watched as curls of steam rose from the now still-as-glass water. "I suppose not," mumbled Raina, standing and watching her friend with concern. **"What is wrong, my friend?"**

"**Do not act as though you do not know," **snarled Adanessa, a mixture of emotions filling her sensitive blue eyes. They were slightly red, as if she had been crying. Raina was shocked—what happened to the giggling friend that she had seen just a few days ago? Who had replaced her? **"The one person I have always viewed as my sister, and the one who I have come to love is leaving me behind, so I can stay here and wait for your impending deaths. For that is what you are going to do, is it right? You are walking to your death—everyone knows it. You cannot do this, Raina." **Adanessa's eyes were pleading with her, pleading with her to simply listen. **"I cannot lose my sister once more."**

Raina stared down at her friend, and pulled her into her arms. She wondered, just for one moment, if she should stay—what if her friend truly did need her. But, as she debated it within herself, she knew that she had no choice—this Fellowship would need her before the end, and she could not abandon them, not when she swore an oath to Frodo. **"I must, Adanessa," **whispered Raina, as her best friend began to sob quietly. She gently pushed her away, so that she could look straight into her face. **"You know why I must—you are one of the few who could truly understand my intentions for this. I have to do this—I just need one more chance to prove to everyone that I am not a failure. I will return to you, my friend. My sister." **She looked into Adanessa's eyes briefly, before gently kissing her forehead. **"Tell me, my friend, who is the elloth who you speak of who is marching to his death? Who have you come to love?" **She had not missed that part of Adanessa's quote, and she watched her friend closely.

Adanessa's face blushed deep red, and she quickly turned away from her, placing the scent of lavender into the still-steaming water. Before Raina could question her once more, she said quietly, "He is not an elloth, but one of the men who has visited here. I believe you have met him." Raina simply stared at her friend in shock and horror—no, it was not possible. She could not have fallen for Boromir of Gondor—his mind was weakened by the Ring, she could tell, and she did not trust someone she viewed as a young sister with him. However, before she could state her discomfort with where Adanessa's heart was, the servant quickly turned and held Raina tightly, her eyes slightly crazed as she asked her in a desperate voice, **"Please, please Raina, take care of him. I know you have more power than any that is in the Fellowship, and you must make sure no harm comes to him. Please, my sister, I need you." **

Raina stared at her friend, biting her bottom lip nervously. She could see the love and adoration that Adanessa had for Boromir, but it did not stop her from doubting the man once more. Could he protect and love Adanessa, despite their differences in race, as well as their completely different personalities? There was only one other elf who had fallen for a human, and that was a long, long time ago. However, it seemed that her best friend, her sister had gone against the elven traditions and fallen in love with a human. Sighing softly, Raina whispered, **"I promise you, Adanessa, I will be sure that no harm will fall on him." **

With a delighted, relieved smile on her face, Adanessa quickly embraced Raina once more, and went back to work, so she could help prepare for her long journey.

* * *

Raina stood near the Gates of Rivendell, along with her fellow elf, the two men, four Hobbits, wizard, and dwarf, as Lord Elrond stood before them, along with a group of Elves who had gone to see them off. She could feel the eyes of her sister and her father on her, but she ignored them both. Her father was not happy with her, she knew, as she had nearly lost control in the hallway when she had that argument with her sister—Raina knew that he was concerned about her losing control once more, and hurting whoever would dare to come close to her. She would make sure that his worries would never become reality.

"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom," began Lord Elrond, causing Raina to finally bring her eyes to his. She could see his good-bye to her clearly in his eyes, and she silently told her good-bye to him as well. Despite their ups-and downs, she loved her father, and she could only hope that she would see him again. "On you who travel with him," said Lord Elrond, breaking Raina out of her thoughts, "no oath nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you." Raina bowed her head to her father once more, and turned to Frodo.

"The Fellowship awaits the Ring-bearer," said Gandalf, watching Frodo as well. The rest of the Fellowship turned to the young Hobbit, who took one last long look at Rivendell before turning and beginning to walk towards the Gates; the rest of the Fellowship followed.

As they were walking, Raina heard Frodo whisper to Gandalf, "Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?"

"Left."

A small smile appeared on Raina's lips.

* * *

And so the journey began. The Fellowship was to first attempt to cross the Misty Mountains, which caused Raina's stomach to twist into anxious knots—she had never been calm when it came to any sort of great height. She, however, did not let anyone to realize this—however, some could see the paleness in her features as they approached the mountains. She ignored all of the members' concerns, though—there were far greater things to worrying about than a silly fear of hers. She was stubborn—so stubborn that she would take more night watches than anyone in the Fellowship. She couldn't sleep, and found no reason to waste her restless energy. That was where she stood one night, sitting a few yards away from the sleeping Fellowship, her eyes ever-watchful of her surroundings.

"**What is the reason for your restlessness?" **came a voice behind her, causing her to jump in surprise. She had not heard anyone approach, and, yet, Legolas stood before her, his blonde hair shimmering the light of the full moon before them. Raina couldn't stop herself from being slightly speechless at the true beauty that he held, inside and out. She had never met someone that was so…perfect before, someone that she could stare at for hours and hours.

Shaking her head, Raina replied defiantly, **"I am not restless—I just do not have a need for the sleep." **She hesitated ever so slightly, and motioned her head towards Boromir's sleeping body. **"I'm afraid I must prove to some people that I am not as useless as most women are." **Boromir had not made his thoughts of her not being capable of handling the trip a secret, and had been making comments about her gender through the journey. It had taken all of her self-control not to throttle him in his sleep; not to mention her loyalty to Adanessa.

Legolas frowned at her, and took a seat besides the slender elleth. She glanced down at her hand, and saw that his hand as only inches from her own. Raina could feel her cheeks burning at the thoughts that ran through her mind, and was relieved for the darkness; however, she quickly remembered, she was not the only one who had impressive eyesight. He did not comment, though, and simply looked down at her with a smoldering, intense look in his eyes. **"You have no need to prove yourself to anyone," **he said softly, tucking a thick lock of her hair behind her ear. **"You are a strong elleth, and you would not be part of this Fellowship if you did not have any fight in you. You should not worry about what Boromir says about you." **

Raina gave him a warm smile and whispered, "Thank you." Without hesitation, she placed her hand in his and squeezed it gently. _If this elloth continued to act like this towards me, I am surely going to give my heart to his. _Raina's face froze, and she was shocked by the stray thought that had just passed through her mind. Legolas' eyes filled with the concern, as she was definitely not acting normal, but she slowly shook her head, her expression becoming calmer. **"I'm fine, I just thought I saw something," **lied Raina, and she knew that he knew she was lying. She had always been an awful liar. She turned and looked back out at the landscape of their surroundings; they spent the rest of the night in silence, her hand still encased in his.


End file.
